Bungie's Marathon delayed, no new release date announced

Image via Bungie
Marathon is one of the most anticipated extraction games announced by Bungie. The game was set to release in September 2025, but just 3 months before the date, developers delayed the release.
Bungie cited that they need some additional development time to address critical feedback from the recent Alpha testing. There is no new release date yet announced by the developers; Bungie plans to share updates later this year. The developer cited the need for additional development time to address critical feedback from recent alpha tests. Let's look deep into what reasons made the game delayed and focus on areas of development from Bungie.
Reasons for the delay and development focus areas of Marathon:
Marathon | Gameplay Reveal Trailer
The game was set to release in September 2025, but in the very last moment Bungie decided to delay it due to the following reasons:
1. Negative feedback from Alpha testing:
After the recent May alpha testing of Marathon, testers criticized the game, stating a lack of tension and an underwhelming solo experience. These concerns made developers start redeveloping a few aspects of the game.
2. Plagiarism controversy
There are multiple allegations against the development team addressing stolen artwork that came to light shortly after the alpha test.
3. Sony's live service reevaluation
Following Concord's disappointing reception, Sony is scrutinizing all upcoming live-service titles, including Marathon.
4. Technical challenges faced by Bungie
The team has encountered a few unexpected hurdles with the game's cross-play and progression systems, which require an additional polish.
Development Focus Areas of Marathon:
Here are the following focus areas of development stated by the developers:
Upping the Survival Game
More challenging and engaging AI encounters
More rewarding runs, with new types of loot and dynamic events
Making combat more tense and strategic
Doubling down on the Marathon Universe
Increased visual fidelity
More narrative and environmental storytelling to discover and interact with
A darker tone that delivers on the themes of the original trilogy
Adding more social experiences
A better player experience for solo/duos
Prox chat, so social stories can come to life
The news of the delay badly disappoints everyone from fans to the development team. But this shows the commitment of Bungie to deliver a polished experience. While there is no information yet on the new release date by Bungie, potentially the game

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